PEIRA Request To Abolish Taxes On Private Schools Charging Low Fee

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Sep, 2022 ) :Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), Ministry of Federal education and Professional Training has requested the authorities concerned for exemption of Municipal/Professional tax from those private schools in Islamabad, which are charging upto Rs 5000 fee from students.

According to a notification issued by PEIRA, the management of low fee charging private educational institutions conveyed that Municipal authorities are serving notices to the educational institutions for charging municipal/ professional taxes.

In addition, it is also mentioned in notices that in case of non-submission, legal action shall be taken against the defaulter private schools.

Resultantly, the management of Private Educational Institutions (PEIs) requested for exemption of the aforesaid tax due to fact that low fee charging PEIs are serving the community and they hardly manage to meet the operational expenses of institutions.

It is imperative to mention that Islamabad Capital Territory-Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (ICT-PEIRA) regulates Private Educational Institutions (PEIs) in Islamabad under the ICT-PEIRA Act 2013, and charges regulatory fees, as per Act/ Rules.

In view of the foregoing, the PEIs charging fee upto RS. 5,000/- are considered as low fee charging educational institutions. Therefore, these PEIs need favorable consideration by the Municipal Authorities too and their request for exemption of Municipal/ Professional Tax is forwarded for consideration, the PEIRA notification mentioned.

Commenting on the issue, President, Private Schools Network(PSN) Dr Afzal Babar while lauding this initiative of PEIRA, stated that it will benifit around 80 percent of private schools in federal capital.

"These schools are not only fulfilling the gap created by Federal Directorate of Education but also competing public sector schools in achieving SDG goals with selfhelp" he told APP.

He said, these small private schools are helping the government in achieving 100 percent literacy rate in the federal capital, however, the promotion of these institutions mentioned in PEIRA is still pending since 2006.

In past PEIRA only collected amounts from private schools rather than to facilitate them, he lamented.

Dr Afzal also commended the efforts of Chairperson PEIRA for hard with the help of only three members as most of the members' seats are lying vacant in the body.

President PSN further added that Chairperson PEIRA had been making sincere efforts to maximum facilitate the private schools.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) and other federal institutions had imposed many taxes on these schools, charging low fee which need to be abolished.

All efforts will be made to implement this letter of PEIRA, he said adding that Education Minister also wanted to achieve 100 percent literacy in Islamabad.